Hong Kong tallies cost of unrest as protest march looms

Hong Kong's economy slid into a technical recession for the first time in a decade after growth contracted two consecutive quarters. - The Straits Times/ANN

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's economy is feeling the effects of ongoing protests as a top government official said the violence had contributed two percentage points to last quarter's economic contraction. Rail operator MTR Corporation added that the unrest had cost it an estimated HK$1.6bil.

With protests entering their sixth month, the city is counting the full cost of shut businesses, cancelled conferences and visitors staying away from a territory where tourism is a key economic driver.